PUBLICATIONS

SOLUTION: Reduce State Spending

Freeze State Employee Pay

Leaders must take swift and decisive action to reduce state spending. States can and should stop hemorraging cash. Employee compensation is the largest set of expenditures in every state budget. The average hourly wage of public employees ($39.66) is 45% higher than the average hourly wage of private employees ($27.42). A salary freeze on civil service is wholly justified. Future increases should not exceed the average hourly wage of private-sector workers.

Watch Bob Williams here addressing the underfunded state pension fund problem facing so many states. He states that the public cannot afford the benefits and suggests defined contribution programs as a solution.

Permanently Limit Spending.

Everybody but government must live within their means. States must be forced to do the same. Whether by constitutional amendment or statute, the Legislature and governor should be prohibited from increasing spending at a faster rate than inflation and population growth.

Market-based wages for government workers.

Repeal "prevailing wage" mandate. The costs of publicly financed projects are vastly inflated, unnecessarily costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars, by requiring state contractors to pay workers no less than union wage. Allowing the market to set wages would minimize the expense of public works and allow government to fulfill more priorities at less cost.